1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus, method and system of supervising, monitoring and controlling all of the pulsators of a milking machine having a teatcup with a teatcup liner and a pulsation chamber comprising applying a milking vacuum to the interior of the teatcup liner and a pulsating vacuum to the pulsation chamber so that the teatcup liner cyclically moves between a substantially open position and a substantially closed position under control of pulsation vacuum pulses from a pulsator and more particularity relates to a pulsator controller for a milking machine comprising a teatcup with a teatcup liner and a pulsation chamber, a vacuum source for generating a milking vacuum in the interior of the teatcup liner and a pulsator provided to alternately connect the pulsation chamber to the atmosphere and to the vacuum source for generating a pulsating vacuum in the pulsation chamber to produce a pulsating movement of the teat cup liner between a substantially open position and a substantially closed position wherein the controller signals that a designed pulsator pulsating vacuum level is at a vacuum level outside of the predetermined vacuum range based on a stored reference signal received by a processor in a controller representing a predetermined vacuum range of pulsating vacuum levels programmed as acceptable for milking system pulsators. The processor may include a monitoring section to monitor the designated pulsator vacuum pulsation level and a pulsator section to control, actuate or deactuate the vacuum pulsator to a milk claw.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Milking systems having a vacuum for performing milking of dairy animals, such as cows, are well known in the art. Certain of the milking systems have the milking process for dairy animals, such as cows, automated to facilitate faster and consistent milking of dairy animals.
A reference entitled MACHINE MILKING AND LACTATION by A. J. Bramley, F. H. Dood, G. A. Mein and J. A. Bramley, published by Insight books, Vermon, USA, describes the history, background and state of the art in milking systems and in Chapter 7 entitled Basic Mechanics and Testing of Milking Systems by G. A. Mein appearing at Pages 235 through 284, discloses and describes typical milking machine installations (the “Bramley et al. Reference”). U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,827 discloses a milking system having a substantially stable continuous vacuum level through a milk claw and milk hose wherein the milking system includes a milking apparatus for connection with an animal's teats to apply a controlled vacuum thereto to remove milk therefrom at various milk flow rates.
As milking systems become automated, milking system include monitoring apparatus for monitoring other functions in the milking system and for generating a signal if certain unacceptable operating condition occur. Examples of such monitoring apparatus are disclosed in the following United States Patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,215 discloses a vacuum monitoring apparatus which includes a control circuit having a transducer for sensing the vacuum levels in a milking system and for generating output signals. The control circuit includes a comparator for controlling indicator devices and an alarm circuit in response to a set point when the vacuum levels are at high, low and normal settings. The control circuit includes a time delay circuit that disables the alarm circuit for a predetermined time delay to provide for measurement of the vacuum recovery rate for the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,040 discloses a partial-vacuum regulating valve that automatically regulates an operating partial vacuum in milking systems. The partial-vacuum regulating valve consists of a main valve and an auxiliary valve. The auxiliary valve body is adjusted in accordance with the partial vacuum prevailing in the milking system and affects the amount of air that is drawn out of the main valve control chamber, which communicates with the atmosphere through a calibrated bore, through a certain channel. The partial-vacuum is adjusted in the control chamber in accordance with the amount of air drawn out and that adjustment determines the position of the auxiliary valve. The position of the auxiliary valve determines the amount of air flowing into a certain line through the air-inlet opening, which in, turn, affects the partial pressure in the line. The main-line control chamber has an additional calibrated air inlet that is closed off with a cap. When the cap is removed, atmospheric air also flows through the additional inlet into the main valve control chamber and reduces the partial vacuum therein. The associated descent of the valve body reduces the air admitted onto the line and hence leads to partial pressure in the milking system that is lower than the partial pressure established for the milking process by means of a screw and spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,104 discloses a method of milking for a double action milking system. Milking is initiated at one ratio of milk period and then increased to a selected higher ratio. Milking is then done at the selected higher ratio for a selected segment of time or until the milk flow rate falls below a predetermined value, after which the ratio is decreased so that milking is completed at a lower ratio. A valve is used to selectively alternatively connect a line going to the teat cups to vacuum or to atmospheric pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,530 discloses an automated milking system in which the milking vacuum applied from a vacuum line through a milk flow valve and the milk hose to a teat cup cluster is initially shut off after automatic detacher controls provide a signal indicating the end of milking. A milk sweep controls a back flush system which passes a flushing fluid through the milk flow valve into the milk house and teat cup cluster to flush out these components.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,837 discloses a milking machine having a duct under partial vacuum that leads milk from the teat cup cluster to form a milk flow having a milking flow rate. The duct has a regulating valve which is used to vary the milking vacuum. A device for sensing changes in the rate of milk flow through the duct is connected to control means for operating the regulating valve to an idling value in response to a decrease in the milk flow rate and an increase in the milking vacuum from an idling value to a working value in response to an increase in the rate of milk flow.
One example of automated dairy barn or milking parlor is a herringbone milking stall parlor wherein the dairy animal is directed into a milking stall. Once the dairy animal is in the stall a milking apparatus, comprising a milking claw and inflations, have the inflations thereof attached to the teats of a dairy animal to perform the milking process which commence when the milking vacuum is enabled or turned on. The inflations are each formed of a separate teat cup and teat cup liner assembly that are attached to the teats of the dairy animal. Typically the inflations have four teat cup and teat cup liner assemblies, one for each teat of a dairy animal, e.g. a cow.
Each teat cup has a shell and a teat cup liner is provided in the shell to form a pulsation chamber between the teat cup liner and the shell. During milking, the interior of the teat cup liner is subjected to a varying milking vacuum that typically varies over a range of about 10 inches Hg to about 12 inches Hg and then to atmospheric pressure. The pulsation chamber is subjected to a cyclically pulsating vacuum normally varying between atmospheric pressure, when the teat cup liner is collapsed or closed, and a maximum vacuum level of about 12 inches Hg when the teat cup liner is fully open. The maximum pulsating vacuum level is normally about 12 inches Hg under atmospheric pressure, i.e. equal to the milking vacuum level. This means that the pressure difference across the wall of the teat cup liner is essentially equal to zero when the teat cup liner is open.
In the state-of-the-art milking systems, the pulsating vacuum is controlled by a pulsator as described above. The pulsator has a pulsation cycle which is divided into four phases; (i) an opening phase (a) during which the pulsating vacuum increases from atmospheric pressure to the milking vacuum level and the teat cup liner moves from a closed position to an open position, (ii) an open phase (b) during which the pulsating vacuum has reached its maximum level, which is substantially equal to the milking vacuum level, the teat cup liner is in an open position allowing milk to flow from a teat, (iii) a closing phase (c) during which the pulsating vacuum decreases from about the milking vacuum level to the atmospheric pressure and the teat cup liner moves from the open position to the closed position, and (iv) a closed phase (d) during which the pulsating vacuum is equal to the atmospheric pressure and the teat cup liner is in a closed position stopping milk flow from a teat. The above action of the pulsator is referred to herein generally as the “pulsation process”.
Each milking apparatus has a separate pulsator for controlling each teat cup shell and a teat cup liner by applying a vacuum to each pulsation chamber between the teat cup liner and the shell. The pulsator and the pulsation system is a vital part of a milking facility. There is usually one pulsator designated for each milking apparatus being used to milk a dairy animal, e.g. a cow. If a milking parlor or milking barn has “N” milking apparatus all capable of milking cows at the same time, the milking parlor or milking barn would typically have “N” separate pulsators.
As discussed above, monitoring of the pulsation process, during which the teat cup liner movement occurs, is very important to the health and milk production of a cow. Improper or defective operation of a pulsator or a malfunction of a pulsator, if allowed to go unnoticed for a considerable period of time, can cause damage to the cow. Such damage results because of trauma experienced by the teat of a dairy animal arising from improper teat cup liner movement and such damage could include causing mastitis to the dairy animal.
Mastitis is an infection of animal body tissue within the mammary system of an animal. Mastitis may be caused by a number of other conditions including irritation to the teats, as is well known to persons skilled in the art. When mastitis occurs, it is an infection that the animal, e.g. cow's, body must counteract. Thus the animal's body energy is to be used to fight infection rather than produce milk.
If the infection is severe enough, significant and sometimes permanent damage can be caused to the cow's normal milk producing organisms. All mastitis cause some level of permanent and lifetime irrefutable damage to the animal's milk producing (mammary) system. The level of severity is in direct relation to the severity and length of time that an infection exists. As such, a severe or lengthy period of infection may limit the animal's production capabilities and affect the animal's milk producing life.
A milking machine, milking apparatus or milking system generally causes mastitis in two ways.
First, mastitis is caused by application of damaging vacuum levels to the cows' teats which create a severe irritation. Since it is difficult to isolate with any degree of certainty at what level of vacuum such irritation occurs, the conservative approach is the least level of vacuum, the better. Each animal, such as a cow, reacts differently to vacuums being applied to teats and each animal tolerates various levels of vacuum differently.
Second, mastitis is created by a milking apparatus, causing foreign bacteria to be introduced into the animal, e.g. cow. As milk is being drawn from the cow, the teats are exposed to a vacuum which is less than atmospheric pressure. However, the outside of the udder is under atmospheric pressure and, in essence, atmospheric pressure is what is “squeezing” the milk out of the animal's teats in response to a periodic pulsating or controlled vacuum from a pulsator.
If a pulsator is defective, is not operating properly or if a malfunction occurs affecting the pulsation process, it is desirable to detect and correct such a condition as soon as possible. Doing so will most likely limit or prevent damage or injury to a dairy animal and help maintain the dairy animal in a healthy condition for giving milk. A dairy animal in good health produces a higher volume of milk during each milking cycle.
One known method for insuring proper operation of the pulsators and pulsation process is to test the milking system on a monthly basis using a recorder for measuring vacuum levels of each of the pulsators and the measuring the pulsation phases of the pulsation cycles. Based on the test results, appropriate repairs can be made to the pulsator, vacuum lines and milking apparatus as required to remedy the identified deficiency or malfunction.
Between tests, an improperly operating pulsator or other malfunction or deficiency in the milking system related to the pulsating process can go unnoticed for an extended period of time, sometimes as long a month, when the next test is scheduled to be conducted.
In the prior art monthly pulsator monitoring testing program, each pulsator is tested on an individual basis and a determination is then made whether the pulsator operates within an acceptable standard. If the pulsator's operation is deficient or if the pulsator malfunctions, the pulsator is repaired or replaced, as necessary.
Other known apparatus for monitoring and controlling pulsators disclosed in certain United States Patents are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,009,832 and 6,073,579 disclose a milking machine having a teat cup with a teat cup liner and a pulsation chamber. The abrupt movement of the teat cup liner when the teat cup liner moves to an open or closed position is sensed. If a sensed movement does not fulfill a predetermined condition, a signaling means signals the malfunction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,035 discloses a milking machine pulsation control that includes a micro controller which generates a pulse width modulated drive signal to control current to pulsator valves, with a high current for pull-in and a lower current for holding. A watchdog circuit resets the computer in the event of latch-up as a result of circuit transients.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0104484 published on Aug. 8, 2002 which matured into U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,934 (Gentner et al) discloses a method and apparatus for monitoring the operation of a pulsator by recording calibration data from that specific pulsator during a calibration mode made on that specific pulsator during normal operations and using the so recorded pulsator specific calibration data for comparison using a processor with data developed from that specific pulsator during milking operation and the processor provides a signal to an output, which signal indicates if the pulsator is operating.
None of the known prior art anticipates, discloses, suggests or teaches or a controller for monitoring and controlling pulsators in a milking system wherein the referenced data stored in a computer system is a programmed standard for an acceptable predetermined vacuum range of pulsating vacuum levels for a pulsator is predetermined for the milking system. The programmed standard for an acceptable predetermined vacuum range for a pulsator predetermined for the milking system is entered into and stored in the computer system as a reference standard for monitoring operation of all of the “N” pulsators in the milking system. The controller includes sensors and uses a start signal to verify that a milking apparatus is attached to a dairy animal at the commencement of a milking cycle.
In the method and apparatus for monitoring the operation of a pulsator disclosed U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,934, each separate pulsator must be calibrated individually, recorded separately in a separate recording step and that calibration data can only be used with that specific pulsator during monitoring. If milking parlor or milking barn has “N” milking systems, then “N” pulsators must be separately calibrated, that calibration data must be stored as recorded data for each pulsator, and each compare cycle is required to address each specific calibration data for each specific pulsator.
In addition, the method and apparatus for monitoring the operation of a pulsator disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,934 does not anticipate, disclose, suggest or teach verifying that the milking apparatus is attached to a dairy animal during monitoring of the specific pulsator of a specific milking apparatus to avoid generation of error signals. None of the known prior art anticipates, discloses, suggests or teaches or a controller for monitoring and controlling pulsators in a milking system wherein a processor within the pulsator controller receives a start signal generated when a milking apparatus of a milking system is attached to a cow to be milked and for receiving a stop signal generated when a cow being milked has reached the end of a milking cycle or a milking apparatus is disabled. In the present invention, the start signal concurrently enables the processor to receive a first signal representing the pulsating vacuum level from the designated pulsator and for enabling operation of the designated pulsator to supply vacuum pulses to a milking apparatus. The processor is responsive to the stop signal to concurrently disable receiving the first signal representing the pulsating vacuum level from the designated pulsator and for deactuating operation of the designated pulsator from supplying vacuum pulses to a milking apparatus. The above functions may be used for activating/deactivating the monitoring of the pulsator. The monitoring function can also deactivate operation of the pulsator. Deactivating of the pulsation when a cow is not being milked has the additional advantage of saving wear and tear on the pulsator.
In cases where a dairy installation already has a pulsator controller, the monitoring function alone can be used. However, in such situations, when the monitoring is stopped in response to a “stop signal”, the pulsator may keep on working.